NFL mock draft: Building in the trenches

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Feb 25, 2016; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Kansas City Chiefs general manager John Dorsey speaks to the media during the 2016 NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 25, 2016; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Kansas City Chiefs general manager John Dorsey speaks to the media during the 2016 NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

As we go rolling right along towards the 2016 NFL Draft, things are continuing to take shape.  With the NFL Scouting Combine now in the books, we’ve got some interesting numbers to work with.  There truly is a lot of value in the Combine workouts if you understand what it is you’re looking for.

The numbers by themselves mean very little.  It’s how they confirm or contradict what the scouts have seen on tape that is important.  For instance, a guy everyone knows is fast running a good 40 time doesn’t really mean much (see: Breshad Perriman).  However, a guy who scouts may have thought was a little slower, or who simply didn’t have a lot of game film, running a fast 40-time can really bump up his stock.  All in all, the combine is about refining what you already know about a player.

More from Kansas City Chiefs Draft

Our first pick in the week’s mock draft is one of those guys who made use of the combine to improve his stock.  There’s actually a good chance he isn’t available when the Chiefs draft, but if he is there, it’s a bit of a no-brainer.  He will be the start to an NFL mock draft that really focuses on helping Kansas City build up front.

For those of you looking to do your own research, here are a pair of excellent resources:

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/prospectrankings

http://www.nfl.com/combine

I invite everyone to offer up their opinions and own mocks in the comments section.  Mock drafts are meant for interaction and discussion.  There are still plenty of players I need to study up on, so I’m sure I have missed more than a few that other people are interested in.

Next: 1st Round

Schedule